A beautiful fall weekend set the stage for the installation of the Zeta Omega chapter at Northwood Institute on October 26, 1985. Collegians from Beta Beta chapter, Michigan State University, conducted Court of Ivy ceremonies on Friday evening. Each collegiate member left with her summons to Initiation and a beautiful ivy plant presented by the advisory board as a memento of her new member period. The next morning, October 26, 55 women were initiated in a ceremony led by Stacey Enxing Seng (Beta Beta-Michigan State), assisted by International Vice-President Alumnae Mary Berkmoes Peterson (Delta Omega-Minnesota State Moorhead); Administrator of Leadership/Advisory Boards and New Chapter Supervisor Virginia Burson Struble (Beta Kappa-Denison); Field Representative Lisa Goodwin Michael (Beta Pi-USC), and collegians from Beta Beta chapter. Included in the 55 new initiates were 11 alumna initiates, five graduates from the original new chapter and the mothers of six of the collegians. That afternoon, 150 guests congratulated the newly initiated Zeta Omega members at a reception held in their honor at the Midland Country Club. Toastmistress for the afternoon was Virginia Struble (Beta Kappa-Denison). The afternoon’s program began with Dean Martha Fuce, representing Northwood Institute, welcoming the chapter on behalf of the administration. Martha Watkins Mast (Beta Nu-Duke), chairman of the Alpha Phi Foundation, presented a check for $1,000 to a representative of Midland Hospital Center in honor of the installation. Martha Watkins Mast (Beta Nu-Duke) also continued the Foundation tradition of presenting a sapphire scholarship badge to scholarship chairman Lori Ager Weckesser (Zeta Omega-Northwood), to be worn during her term in office as a reminder of the high scholarship that all Alpha Phis strive to maintain. Jean Cabbage Gaston (Beta Beta-Michigan State), District Alumnae Chairman for Michigan, presented a Lazi Phi badge to president Deanne Jackson (Zeta Omega-Northwood) on behalf of the Rochester, Michigan, Alumnae Chapter. Gifts and greetings were also received from other Michigan alumnae chapters, in addition to those from collegiate and alumnae chapters from across the United States and Canada. International Vice-President, Mary Berkmoes Peterson (Delta Omega-Minnesota State Moorhead), conducted the Chartering ceremony. Zeta Omega was guided through the new chapter stages by an advisory board consisting of Sandee Revell Spears (Chi-Montana), Cathy Wiedman Alexander (Delta Theta-Western Michigan), Nancy Anderson (Beta Beta-Michigan State), and Jane Rutter Smith (Omicron-Missouri). Jane Rutter Smith (Omicron-Missouri) also planned the installation weekend.
